USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Dudley > An anniversary discourse, delivered at Dudley, Massachusetts, March 20, 1853. With topographical and historical notices of the town > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
INCORPORATION AND ORGANIZATION.
But at whatever period the settlement was commenced, the settlers had become sufficiently numerous in 1732 to induce
4.8
them to petition "the Great and General Court," for the corpo- rate powers of a town, and to justify the government in making the grant. The act of incorporation bears the date of June 1, 1732. The order of the House of Representatives for the first town meeting was issued to Joseph Edmunds, empowering him to call such a meeting, and directing him to notify " the prin- cipal inhabitants" to assemble for the purpose of organizing themselves into civil society, as a township, and choosing the appropriate officers. Accordingly the first town meeting was held at the dwelling-house of William Carter, on the 20th of June, 1732, when Joseph Edmunds was chosen Moderator ; and the following persons appointed officers of the town for the ensu- ing year, viz : Joseph Edmunds, first Selectman ; James Corbin, the second ; Ebenezer Edmunds, the third; George Robinson, the fourth ; and John Lillie, the fifth, and also the Town Clerk. For the sake of convenient reference, I subjoin the names of those persons who have held the offices of Town Clerk and Chairman of the Selectmen from the time of this organization to the present period ; with the number of the years which each one served :
TOWN CLERKS, IN THEIR ORDER.
John Lillie,
3 years.
Amasa Nichols, . · 2 years.
Jonathan Newell,
2
Rufus Davis, .
6
Benjamin Conant,
26 William Hancock,
12
Ezra Conant, .
6 Morris Larned,
7
Jedediah Marcy, 1
" Abiel Williams,
3
.
Edward Davis,
18
Baylies Knapp,
2
John E. Eaton,
1
Elisha Williams,
=
John Chamberlain, .
17
Augustus T. Allen,
¥
Aaron Tufts, .
Lemuel Healy,
10
1 7 years.
CHAIRMEN OF SELECTMEN.
Joseph Edmunds, George Robinson,
2
1
1 Morris Larned,
William Winsor,
1
1
5
John Brown, . John Eddy,
William Hancock,
4
Phinchas Mixer,
2
11
66
1
3
Jonathan Day,
2
3
John Warren,
3
2
Isaac Lee, .
1
1
John Chamberlain,
5
Henry H. Stevens, .
1
1
5
5
6
1 6
66
1 יי
Ebenezer Bacon, Jedediah Marcy, William Larned, Edward Davis,
Joel Barnes, George A. Tufts, Chester Clemans, Baylies Knapp, Theodore Leonard, Asa E. Edmunds, Moses Barnes, Reuben Davis,
1
3
Aaron Tufts, . Thomas Larned, . Jepthah Bacon,
15 years.
Ebenezer Edmunds, John Vinton, . Benjamin Conant, Jolin Lillie, Joseph Upham, Joseph Sabin,
13
5
1
1
49
POPULATION AND PATRONYMICS.
The precise number of the inhabitants of the town, when first incorporated, cannot now be ascertained, nor even all the family names known. In order to aid those who wish to pursue this inquiry, and learn at what period their ancestors took up their abode here, however, I add the following marked
CATALOGUE
Of Family Names of persons, now resident in the town of Dudley, viz :-
Adams
#Child
Green
*Marsh
Albee
t Chamberlain
Grimley
May
Aldrich
Chickering
Maynard
Allard
Church
ITall
McCracking
* Allen
*Clark
*Ilancock
McDermott
Amidon
Clemans
Harding
McLoud
Angel
Cogswell
Harwood
McQuaid
Anis
i Conant
* Haven
McKenner
Arnold
t Corbin
*Haskell
#Mixer
t Bacon
Corbett
Hiekey
Morton
Bary
Crow
flIealy
Moran
#Bailey
Cowie
Holbrook
Morse
#Baker
#Cortiss
Hooton
Moffitt
*Ballard
#Curtis
Howard
#Morris
* Barnes
t Davis
Hutchinson
t Newell
#Bates
#Davison
*Nichols
Bray
Day
Jacobs
Nye
Beaumont
Dixon
#Jewett
Bemis
Dornal
#Jewell
Owen
Bertody
Doyle
*Johnson
Bixby
#Dodge
Jones
Pain
*Blood
Dugan
Jourdan
Parmenter
*Brown
Durfee
Keich
*Perry
Bosworth
Dwyer
Keiton
Petree
Brogan
Bracket
*Eddy
Kenny
Pierce
Brodben
tEdmunds
Kerr
Pickering
Bottum
Edwards
Keyes
Pope
Burnett
#Elwell
Kingsbury
Powers
Buss
King
Plowffe
Buekley
Farley
Knight
*Pratt
Butler
Farroll
Prinee
*Cady
Flynn
*Larned
Prichard
Cary
Fortune
Leavens
Callery
*Foster
Lindley
Quid
Campbell
Gary
Love
Rawson
Carney
Gillmore
Lyon
Regan
*Carpenter Chanley
Goodspeed
Mansfield
Richards
#Cheney
#Gore
Marcy
Robbins
7
Fitts
Lapham
Prout
Callahan
Lindsey
Perkins
Browning
Dwight
Keith
Pike
*Barton
Copeland
Hersey
Mory
HIumphrey
Reynolds
Goodell
'! !! NEWB. RAY LIBRARY CHICAGO
50
+ Robinson
Scarles
Thayer
+ Wakefield Walker
Rogers
Smith
Thornton
Rogin
Simmons
Thompson
* Waldron
Ryan
Soal
Tourtellott
Watson
Steere
Town
*Webster
+ Sabin
¿Stone
Tupperdy
Welch
*Sayles
#Stevens
Twist
Wilder
Scholefield
Sullivan
*Williams
Shanley
Sumner
#Upham
Winship
Shelly
*Taft
Vickus
Whiting
Sły
#Taylor
#Vinton
* Wood
Of these two hundred and seven family names, twelve only are found in the town records attached to those persons who took an active part in the organization of its government, under the act of incorporation, or in the management of its affairs during the first two years. These are distinguished in the cata- logue by this mark, t.
Twenty-one other names in the catalogue, marked thus, ¿, are found in the town records before the year 1750.
Twenty-six others appear in the records before the close of the eighteenth century. These are distinguished in the cata- Jogue by a star, thus, *.
The other names in the catalogue, not marked, are of persons who seem to have become inhabitants at different periods, since 1801. Besides these, many names appear on the records of the town, and some of persons distinguished in their respective gen- erations, who are gone; having either been cut off by the divis- ions of the township, or removed to other places, or died without male descendants to inherit and perpetuate their names. Those names on the catalogue which are borne by the largest number of the present generation, are the following, in the order of their extent : Upham, Vinton, HIcaly, Larned and Corbin.
OCCUPATION AND PURSUITS.
For many years after the first settlement of the place, the occupation and pursuits of the inhabitants were almost exclu- sively agricultural ; and the population seems to have increased with great rapidity, indicating what I have already stated con- cerning the adaptation of the soil to agricultural purposes, and the favorableness of the region to health and longevity. A large number of families came from several towns north of Boston
,
Wheelock
Slingsby
51
and near Salem, about the year 1750. Again there was a large increase of inhabitants about the commencement of the war of the Revolution ; some from the south of Boston, some from the State of Rhode Island, and not a few from towns in the imme- diate vicinity. Accordingly I find that as early as 1790, when the first census of the United States was taken, the town con- tained a population of 1,114. The next census of 1800 gave 1,140; the next, 1810, 1,226; the next, 1820, 1,615; the next, 1830, 2,155 ; the next, 1840, (Webster excluded,) 1,352; and the last, of 1850, 1,446.
From this abstract from the United States census, it would seem, that the agricultural population of the town soon rose to its maximum, and that the increase since 1810 has probably been made in connection with the introduction and progress of manufactures ; and that this progress has been uninterrupted, except when the principal manufacturing district was taken off, to constitute the town of Webster, between the fifth and sixth census. Nor can there be much doubt, that this progress will continue. For the same conveniences of location, productiveness of soil, consequent low price of board, and facilities of intercourse with the two great marts of trade, New York and Boston, which have recently introduced and are rapidly extending manufactures in leather among us, must give encouragement to the introduc- tion of other kinds of handicraft labor. Besides, the manufac- tures of wool and cotton, flax and hemp, depending on hydraulic power, already commenced with success, may be extended almost indefinitely. A considerable additional use may be made of the waters of the French River, on the Eastern border of the town. Of the waters of the Quinnebaug, no use is made for mannfac- turing purposes, at present, within the limits of Dudley; though it passes through the whole breadth of the town, and furnishes two well-marked sites for extensive manufacturing establish- ments. Of the united waters from Gore and Baker Ponds, good use is, indeed, made at Tufts-factory-village, as well as of those running from Hayden and Peter Ponds, at Marino village. But at each of these places the works might be greatly extended and the operations profitably increased. In my apprehension, however, the hydraulic power, of the highest importance to the prosperity of the town, is yet to be developed, brought into use
52
and made to operate near the center both of the population and the territory. Whenever the unnsed and nearly useless rights on the natural outlet of Warren Pond shall be extinguished, and its waters diverted, by a deep canal, into the valley between " Dudley ITill " and Leavens or Eddy Hill, in connection with Ilealy's or " Newell's Brook," they will furnish a steady power, which may be used three or four times over, and easily applied to a succession of manufacturing establishments. This theory is founded on the assumption, that the pond is fed by large and inexhaustible springs; and the assumption is supported by analogy and the known facts, that the pond is deep and surrounded by high and well-watered hills.
CHARACTER OF THE INHABITANTS.
As to the character of the inhabitants of Dudley, much need not be said, as it does not differ essentially from that, which is exhibited by the inhabitants of most of the towns in the vicinity. No particular traits of character seem, indeed, to have distin- guished the first white settlers here, or those who immigrated to the place and associated with them, before the commencement of the nineteenth century. They were chiefly of English origin; descendants of the Pilgrims. They came generally from Roxbury and Newton, or from the region about Salem ; and they partook largely of the staid character of those, who con- stituted the first colonists of Massachusetts. They were indns- trious, enterprising, well agreed in their political views, social sympathies, moral habits and religious usages. Of course, in their early proceedings, as a corporation under the laws of the colony, they were generally harmonious. In regulating the civil and social interests of the community and exercising the functions of self-government, no important difference of opinion or alienation of feeling, seems to have arisen among them for many years after the incorporation of the township. They thought alike, and acted together for their mutual benefit and the general good. This harmony of sentiment and union of action, which appears in all the early records of the town, is made peculiarly evident to those who read that portion of these records, which relates to the Revolutionary war. In the pur- suit of civil liberty and national independence, all were united.
53
Not an opposing vote was passed, nor a dissenting voice raised, in town-meeting, during the whole period of that self-denying struggle, and amid all the privations, which the times and the unequal contest imposed upon the country. They were willing to stand in their lot and bear their full proportion of the burden .- Every call for men and money, to carry forward the work of the Revolution, was met with apparent cheerfulness, and answered with promptitude and a self-sacrificing spirit. Indeed, some of these proceedings seem to have indicated a firmness of spirit and energy of purpose, which nothing could subdue ; and to have been adopted with a readiness and determination, to go forward at all hazards, as if the whole business and burden of the Revolutionary war depended on the counsels and action of these primary assemblies of the people. The Declaration of Independence, made in Congress on the 4th of July, 1776, was no sooner presented in town-meeting, than it was adopted, and placed on the records of the town, as if it had originated with them and required their direct sanction-as if Jefferson had reported it to the meeting, and Adams had stood before them, and defended it with his manly eloquence.
One of the most conclusive proofs of their patriotism and patient submission to personal privations for the public good, is a sumptuary regulation, reported by a large Committee of the town, in accordance with an Act of the General Court, and unanimously adopted in town-meeting, by which the price of labor, produce, food and raiment, entertainment for man and beast, and even of the favorite beverage of the times, was definitely fixed, and made an indispensable rule of action, like the laws of the Medes and Persians. Whoever, therefore, wishes to know how the mighty and unequal struggle was successfully carried on against the consolidated power of the British empire, by these American colonies, must direct his inquiries to first principles and particular facts, like these, - must search the early records of this and other towns, and observe the union and energy of their proceedings and the self- sacrificing and patriotic spirit which moved them. Yes; and he may thus learn, that it was the action of these primary assemblies of the people, as De Tocqueville has well said, that planted the germ of the American Revolution, and nourished to maturity the tree of American liberty and independence.
54
ECCLESIASTICAL RELATIONS.
The ecclesiastical history of the town may be given in a few words. The first settlers seem to have commenced their social religious action with wisdom and good counsel. As soon as they obtained an act of incorporation and began to exist as a civil society, they took measures to become an ecclesiastical society. They made provision, without unnecessary delay, to build a suitable house for public worship and secure the labors of a religious teacher and stated preacher of the gospel. Ou the 30th of January, 1734, it was determined by vote in town- meeting, to erect the proposed meeting-house, on "Joshua Pegin's old field," provided the land could be procured for that purpose ; and on the 27th day of the following March, it was voted, to accept four acres for this and other public purposes, presented by the original Indian proprietors, on the top of " Dudley Hill ; " and to perform the conditions, viz : " to allow the Indians a convenient seat or seats in our meeting-house, when it is up." Accordingly the frame of the house was raised on the 23d of October, 1234; and the building erected near the spot, where the Congregational meeting-house now stands. To aid them in this expensive undertaking, they applied for assist- ance to the Messrs. Dudley ; and received a donation of £100 and a lot of 100 acres of land, as a parsonage or settlement for the first minister. They also applied to the General Court, and obtained an act, authorizing the taxing of non-residents as well as the inhabitants of the town for the support of public worship and religious instruction. And as far as appears from the records, no objection was made, for several years, against this equal contribution for the purpose, by direct taxation on polls and property, as in all other cases and for all other legal pur- poses .* But this happy union, in process of time, was disturbed
* Probably the complaint, which soon arose among the minor sects of Christianity, against the provincial law and the provisions of the Constitu- tion of 1780, for the support of public worship and religious instruction, never would have existed, nor the alteration been subsequently made, if that provision had been really equal-if it had imposed no burden on minor sects, in procuring certificates, &c. If the distribution had been made according to denominational entries, made in the assessors' books, at the time of taking the valuation, one temptation to withdraw from all publie worship and religious instruction would have been avoided, and this salutary provision, like that for the support of public schools, might have been retained to this day, in the Constitution of the Commonwealth.
55
by causes which might be traced back to their origin and fol- lowed down to their present unhappy results. As such an investigation and development, however, would not aid us in furnishing a remedy for existing evils, that part of the history may be here omitted. I will only repeat, therefore, the obser- vation already made, in substance, that there was but one ecclesiastical body or organized religious society in that portion of the town, which now constitutes Dudley; till the year 1792. Previously to this period, there were indeed a few individuals, who claimed to belong to particular denominations, among whom were a few Baptists in the East part of the town, who finally formed a distinct ecclesiastical society in what now constitutes Webster. Before their organization, however, instead of draw- ing their portion of the taxes for the support of public worship by certificates according to law, they were exempted by vote of the town from taxation, or their taxes were annually abated. This practice, thus holding out a temptation to the penurious to deprive themselves and their children of the means of religious instruction and the benefits of public worship, seems to have continued, increasing the evil from year to year ; till at a town- meeting on the 7th of May, 1792, the following sweeping and desolating vote was passed by a majority of 13 out of 89 : " That all denominations of Christians, except the standing order, so called, be exempted from ministerial taxation." This vote, though illegal, seems to have been the natural result of the unequal provision for distribution, in the Constitution of 1780, and to have been passed, however injudiciously, in a spirit of liberality. One of the consequences, (and it seems to have been rendered necessary,) was an immediate distinct organization of a Congregational society, in connection with the already-existing Congregational church. The society thus organized, erected their present meeting-house, nearly on the site of the old one belonging originally to the whole town, in the year 1824. Not far from this time a Methodist Episcopal society was formed in the East part of the town, [now Webster. ] But some disagree- ment concerning the location of their meeting-house induced that portion of the society, who lived within the present limits of Dudley, to withdraw, and unite with Universalists in build- ing what they denominated the Union meeting-house. This
56
union, however, did not last long. The Methodist portion of the association, after a few years, withdrew, and finally built a third meeting-house, on " Dudley Hill." Hence we have three places of public worship, in this little village, the center of a small township; where one would have been sufficient to ac- commodate all, who now habitually attend public worship, if they were as harmonious as were the first settlers in town, or sufficiently agreed in sentiment and harmonious in feeling to worship together.
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION.
Our Schools and provisions for education are in a much better condition than our ecclesiastical relations and organizations. According to the records of the town, however, it is apparent that there was a delay in making proper provision for the educa- tion of the rising generation. Seven years elapsed, after the incorporation of the township, before any public money was raised for the purpose of supporting public schools, or any such school kept in town. The cause of this delay, in violation of the provincial laws, does not appear ; and when, in the year 1739, provision was first made according to law for the purpose, and for many years after, there seems to have been considerable difficulty in forming school districts and making a satisfactory distribution of the money raised. Indeed, this subject all along, till very recently, appears to have caused much dissatisfaction. The present arrangement of districts and the present mode of distribution, however, it is understood, give general satisfaction ; and will, it is hoped, after fair experiment, satisfy all. In addi- tion to the benefits of well arranged and well supported schools in all parts of the town, our youth may enjoy, at a trifling expense, the advantages of an Academy founded by Amasa Nichols, Esq., and bearing his name, incorporated in the year 1819, and endowed by the Legislature of the State with half a township of land in Maine-an endowment sufficient to give it a permanent existence. We have, too, a model school-house in the center district with a hall well fitted for scientific lectures. Nothing seems to be wanting, therefore, to enable the children and youth of this town to obtain an education qualifying them for all business purposes and the common pursuits of life, except
57
a well selected town library, under such regulations that all may find access to it and be attracted by it.
PRESENT SOCIAL STATE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS.
I close these notices with a remark on the present social state and future prospects of the town. Notwithstanding the unhappy divisions which have arisen among us, on the subject of ecclesiastical relations and organizations, in connection with an increasing diversity of political opinions-notwithstanding this unhappiness and the frequent changes of the manufacturing portion of our population, which naturally enhances the evil ; still there is a good degree of order and social comity prevailing among the great mass of the inhabitants of the town. This is owing, no doubt, in a measure to the influence of the correct principles and harmonious action of the early settlers, and to the feelings and habits which their conservative example has continued to foster and maintain from generation to genera- tion. But more of this quietness, order, and even kindness and courtesy of social intercourse, I am inclined to think, is to be ascribed to the assimilating and elevating power of education. Not only have the children of successive generations here been educated together, and very much alike, in our public schools; but for more than thirty years an academy has been maintained in our village, always under the superintendence and instruction of some liberally educated gentleman. Of course the youth of the town, both male and female, have had opportunity, and most of them have improved the privilege, of obtaining a good academic education ; thus enlarging their views and elevating their characters ; qualifying themselves to become teachers of common schools, and to exercise the various functions of society with propriety and success. I may add here that this school, on account of its favorable location, is unquestionably destined to exert a still higher and more extended influence on the inhabi- tants of this town and the surrounding community.
But whatever may have been the cause, or the combination of causes which has exerted so conservative an influence on the social character of Dudley, amid the unfavorable influences of religious and political divisions, the fact is obvious that Dudley village is a place of great quietness, order and temperance ; and
8
58
that peace and an exemption from degrading vices prevail among the great body of the inhabitants in almost every neighbor- hood within the limits of the town, rendering it, and especially the village, a desirable place of residence for those who love quietude, and wish to educate their children as far removed as possible from scenes of confusion and corrupting influences.
How long this state of things will continue, we presume not to predict. For recently a new element of society has been thrown into our community, by the rapidly increasing immigration of foreigners-a people of a distinct character-of views, habits and manners altogether different from those of the former inhabitants of the place. What is to be the result of this influx of a new race upon the character of the old mass of the population, no one can tell. Whether this new element of society will ultimately be absorbed by the old mass, and the character of the mixed popu- lation become assimilated, so as to live together in peace and act harmoniously, or whether the new element will continue to act as a repulsive force, preventing all confiding intercourse, creating impassable social barriers, and forming grades and castes in society as fixed as those of Ilindostan, is a problem which can be solved by nothing but time and experiment. It is a problem, however, which must be solved, not only in this town, but in all parts of our country. Something of the evils of the unnatural mixture of these different races we must for a time experience. We see, indeed, that it is lowering the standard of morals, diminishing the influence of religious sentiment, increasing the number of those who desecrate the Sabbath, and by raising up a generation without education, self-respect, and a spirit of inde- pendence, endangering our free institutions and liberties, both civil and ecclesiastical. Let us, however, hope for the best ; and let the friends of liberty, knowledge, religion and human happiness, do what they can to prevent this downward tendency, this approximation to barbarism, this danger of social alienation civil discord, anarchy and despotism. Let them strive to har- monize the discordant elements of society, promote the cause of civilization, and secure the welfare of the generations yet to come !
7235 1
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.